In situ cured booster explosive

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for preparing an in situ cured booster explosive by mixing explosive crystals with a prepolymer solution comprising a carboxyl (or hydroxyl)-terminated hydrophobic polyester and epoxidized linseed oil with chromium octanoate as a catalyst. The explosive mixture is pressed into desired size and cured at 60 DEG C. to 70 DEG C. for about 96 hours. The resulting in situ cured explosive has desirable safety and physical properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An in situ cured explosive comprising: cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine;   carboxyl-terminated poly-1,6-hexanediol dimerate;   epoxidized vegetable oil; and   a cure catalyst.   
     
     
       2. An in situ explosive as in claim 1 wherein said epoxidized vegetable is epoxidized linseed oil. 
     
     
       3. An in situ cured explosive as in claim 2 wherein said cure catalyst is chromium octanoate. 
     
     
       4. An in situ cured explosive as in claim 3 wherein said explosive on a percent by weight basis comprises: from 90 to 97 percent cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine;   from 2.30 to 7.66 percent carboxyl-terminated poly-1,6-hexanediol dimerate;   from 0.70 to 2.34 percent epoxidized linseed oil; and   about 0.3 percent chromium octanoate.   
     
     
       5. A method for preparing an in situ cured booster explosive comprising the steps of: mixing a solvent, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, and a binder comprising carboxyl-terminated poly-1,6-hexanediol dimerate, epoxidized vegetable oil and chromium octanoate for about a half hour to form a coated explosive;   evaporating said solvent excess;   pressing said coated explosive at about 25,000 pounds per square inch (psi) for about 60 seconds at 70° F.; and   curing said pressed coated explosive from about 60° C. to about 70° C. for about 96 hours.   
     
     
       6. A method for preparing an in situ cured booster explosive as in claim 5 wherein said mixing step comprises mixing a solvent, from about 90 to 97 percent by weight cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, from about 2.30 to 7.66 percent by weight carboxyl-terminated poly-1,6-hexanediol dimerate, from about 0.70 to 2.34 percent by weight epoxidized linseed oil as said epoxidized vegetable oil and about 0.3 percent by weight chromium octanoate.